BOB SZAJNER
on the bench_in the zone 2008
Bob Szajner- piano
Ed Pickens- bass
Allan Colding- drums
On the Bench In the Zone
Review by Laura Holiday
Two Days In Review : October 8 & 21, 2008
On a warm and humid night in mid fall, exactly 30 years since the first recording session of The Bob Szajner
Triad, Triad Iv presented it's newly rejuvenated musical spirit at The Jazz Cafe' in the front lobby of The Detroit
Music Hall in Downtown Detroit.
Then 13 days later, the group concluded the recorded compilation of 13 original compositions.
All three men involved have made a "comeback" with this recording. The piano man (Bob Szajner) had not
performed for over 27 years. The bass man (Ed Pickens) had also been dormant for 20+ years. The drummer
(Allan Colding) had also just returned to performing. In addition, circumstances developed that were not very
conducive to this type of unknown, strenuous, and quite demanding project.
Just within hours of the proposed event, the piano man, who had already been concerned with the
thoughts of failure, learned that.............
#1) the bass man had developed an inflamed respiratory condition,
and # 2) the drummer had recently severed his left index finger.
All of these conditions only intensified the reasons to succeed.
Then what transpired is the result of a total of 180 + years of living and thinking expressed in 73 minutes and 36
seconds of musical renderings.
"After a musical performance absence of many years the only event left for the improvisational mind
is the re-discovery of the former muse." rms
on the bench_in the zone
on the bench_in the zone
TRACK NAME
#1) NOTABLY SO 5:37
#2) AUTUMN MIST 5:39
#3) AT THE CAFE' 5:10
#4) NICHOLS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS 4:20
#5) SEEMS LIKE SPRING 7:48
#6) THEO 4:41
#7) FOR NO REASON 5:43
#8) RAGMAN 5:14
#9) NUEVE CITO 5:28
#10) DEBONAIRE 8:10
#11) DEJECTION 4:30
#12) CHAGRIN 5:24
#13) DELICATE BALANCE 5:52
BOB SZAJNER
BOB SZAJNER
on the bench_in the zoneQ 2008
Bob Szajner- piano
Ed Pickens- bass
Allan Colding- drums
On the Bench In the Zone
Consider this recording a mate to Bob Szajner’s (b.Sept 12, 1938, Detroit, MI)
Live at Detroit Montreux Jazz Festival 1981 (Cadence Jazz Records 1215).
Then, as now, Ed Pickens was the bassist. But this time around Allan Colding
replaces the late Frank Isola on drums. The program is different but similar in that
all the selections reflect the jaunty compositional qualities of their composer, Bob Szajner.
Bob (a bit of a protege who was playing professionally by age 11), disillusioned by
the music business and unable to reach the level of perfection he envisioned for himself,
pretty much dropped out of the active scene from the mid ‘60s on, interrupted only
by brief emergences and a series of small label recordings. And then a public silence
while the music played only in Bob’s head. Around 2005, he started looking
over archival material and tapes and, to quote Bob, “After a musical performance
absence of many years, the only event left for the improvisational mind is the re-discovery
of the former muse.” And so he rented a studio room and woodshedded, working on his chops.
Satisfied with his progress and instincts, he looked for a trio. Bob contacted Ed Pickens, who
also had been off the scene forover 20 years, and Allan Colding, who had only recently
returned to active performing.
More woodshedding and a gig in 2008 at the Detroit Music Hall/Jazz Cafe' and now,
almost 30 years to the day since his first recording in 1978, Bob and what he refers to as
Triad IV (Triad I - 1978; Triad II - 1980; Triad III - 1981; Triad IV - 2008) offer up these
inspired sounds from Detroit’s Jazz Café. Thirty years later, many things have changed in
CONTACT INFORMATION:
RMS TRIAD PRODUCTIONS
POTOMAC TOWNE II
6267 POTOMAC CIRCLE
WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN 48322
(248) 661-5167
rmstriad@sbcglobal.net
www.rmstriad.blogspot.com
Triad IV (Triad I - 1978; Triad II - 1980; Triad III - 1981; Triad IV - 2008) offer up these
inspired sounds from Detroit’s Jazz Café. Thirty years later, many things have changed in
the world, in the USA, in Detroit, in the lives of these musicians. But as the evidence
shows, Bob Szajner’s musical touch, spirit, and instincts have been a constant—identifiably so.
shows, Bob Szajner’s musical touch, spirit, and instincts have been a constant—identifiably so.
Yes, Bob is indeed on the bench and in the zone.
-Bob Rusch
on the bench_in the zoneQ
on the bench_in the zoneQ
TRACK NAME
#1) NOTABLY SO 5:31
#2) AUTUMN MIST 5:27
#3) AT THE CAFE' 5:07
#4) NICHOLS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS 4:11
#5) SEEMS LIKE SPRING 7:40
#6) THEO 4:36
#7) FOR NO REASON 5:36
#8) RAGMAN 5:08
#9) NUEVE CITO 5:22
#10) DEBONAIRE 7:57
#11) DEJECTION 4:22
#12) CHAGRIN 5:13
#13) DELICATE BALANCE 5:45
CONTACT INFORMATION:
RMS TRIAD PRODUCTIONS
POTOMAC TOWNE II
6267 POTOMAC CIRCLE
WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICHIGAN 48322
(248) 661-5167
rmstriad@sbcglobal.net
www.rmstriad.blogspot.com
